Amir’s comeback motivates me to make international return, says Asif

August 17, 2016, 8:12 AM IST

Karachi: Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif, who was convicted in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, has insisted that seeing Mohammad Amir play for the national side motivates him to make a return to the international cricket.

Asif’s comments came after Pakistan secured a crushing 10-wicket win over England in the final Test at the Oval to level the four-match series 2-2.

Describing Amir as the ‘best bowler’ in the series against England, Asif believes that the 24-year-old could have grabbed many more wickets had his catches been taken.

Asif, along with Amir and former skipper Salman Butt, were found guilty of various offences of corrupt behaviour relating to the Lord’s Test between England and Pakistan in August 2010 by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal in February 2011.

Although Amir has returned to the national team in impressive style against New Zealand in January, Asif and Butt remained sidelined and are yet to be considered for Pakistan selection.

Expressing his desire to make an international return, Asif said that his aim is to impress the selectors in the upcoming domestic matches in order to earn a place in the national squad, the Dawn reported.

The 33-year-old right-arm pacer asserted that although Afghanistan’s board had asked him to coach their young fast bowlers, his primarily focus remains making an international return.

Asif, whose ban from spot-fixing expired at the end of Pakistan’s domestic cricket season last year, made his List-A return in the National One-Day Cup , where he bagged a total of seven wickets in as many games at the strike rate of 43.

However, his performance couldn’t earn him a spot in the Pakistan Super League, a lucrative domestic T20 league.

Asif has represented his country in 23 Tests, 38 ODIs and 11 T20s. He made his Test debut against Australia and ODI debut against England in 2005.